Modular pallet device

ABSTRACT

A modular pallet device includes a plurality of spaced-apart longitudinal first bars having a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart mounting grooves extending inwardly from top faces thereof, a plurality of spaced-apart longitudinal second bars connected to the first bars, and a plurality of interlocking units provided on and interlocking the first and second bars and including slots and projections. Each second bar has opposite first and second end portions. The first end portions of the second bars are respectively received in the mounting grooves of one of the first bars. The second end portions of the second bars are respectively received in the mounting grooves of the other one of the first bars.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application No. 095216693,filed on Sep. 19, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a modular pallet, more particularly to amodular pallet device for protecting goods from damage during transport.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional pallet device is generally used to protect goods fromdamage during transport. The goods are first placed on a top deck of apallet, after which a plurality of strips of wood are connected to thepallet so as to surround four sides and a top side of the goods, therebyprotecting the goods. Aside from protecting the goods, transporting ofthe goods using a lifting device can also be facilitated.

Although the aforementioned conventional pallet device can achieve itsintended purpose, with the ever-increasing cost of wood materials usedfor the wood strips and possibly also for the pallet itself, the overallcost of the conventional pallet device is, likewise, graduallyincreasing. Further, since such wood materials are heavy, the transportcost of the conventional pallet device is high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a modularpallet device that can be easily assembled and that can lower costs to aminimum.

According to this invention, a modular pallet device comprises aplurality of spaced-apart longitudinal first bars, a plurality ofspaced-apart longitudinal second bars connected to the first bars, and aplurality of interlocking units provided on and interlocking the firstand second bars. The first bars have a plurality of longitudinallyspaced-apart mounting grooves extending inwardly from top faces of thefirst bars. Each of the second bars has opposite first and second endportions. The first end portions of the second bars are respectivelyreceived in the mounting grooves of one of the first bars. The secondend portions of the second bars are respectively received in themounting grooves of the other one of the first bars. The interlockingunits include slots and projections.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partly exploded perspective view of a modular pallet deviceaccording to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an assembled schematic top view of the first preferredembodiment;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged exploded perspective view of first andsecond bars of the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the first preferred embodiment taken alongline IV-IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the first preferred embodiment taken alongline V-V of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but illustrating an adjustedarrangement by which a distance between each two adjacent first bars isenlarged;

FIG. 7 is a partly exploded perspective view of a modular pallet deviceaccording to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view, illustrating interconnection between firstand second bars of the second preferred embodiment, but with two of thesecond bars removed for clarity's sake;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the first andsecond bars, upright bars, and lateral transverse bars of the secondpreferred embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view of the second preferredembodiment, illustrating how the second bar is connected to the firstbar;

FIG. 11 is an assembled perspective view of the second preferredembodiment; and

FIG. 12 is an assembled perspective view of the first and second bars ofthe second preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it shouldbe noted that the same reference numerals have been used to denote likeelements throughout the specification.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, the first preferred embodiment of a modularpallet device according to the present invention is shown to comprise aplurality of spaced-apart longitudinal first bars 11, a plurality ofspaced-apart longitudinal second bars 12, a plurality of interlockingunits 2, and a plurality of fastening units 3. For purposes ofillustration, it is to be assumed that the modular pellet device of thefirst preferred embodiment is formed from only the rightmost pair of thefirst bars 11 appearing in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6 (and all associatedelements).

Each of the first bars 11 has opposite longitudinal first and secondfaces 115, 116 that extend downwardly from a top face 110 of thecorresponding first bar 11. The first faces 115 of the first bars 11face each other and extend between the second faces 116. Each first bar11 has five longitudinally spaced-apart mounting grooves 111 extendingdownwardly from the top face 110 thereof. Each of the mounting grooves111 is bounded by two groove sidewalls 210, and a groove bottom wall 113extending between the groove sidewalls 210. Each first bar 11 furtherhas two longitudinally spaced-apart insert holes 112 adjacent to abottom face of the corresponding first bar 11 for insertion thereinto oftines of a lifting device, such as a forklift (not shown).

The second bars 12 are connected transversely to the first bars 11. Eachof the second bars 12 has opposite first and second end portions 121.The first end portions 121 of the second bars 12 are respectivelyreceived in the mounting grooves 111 of one of the first bars 11. Thesecond end portions 121 of the second bars 12 are respectively receivedin the mounting grooves 111 of the other one of the first bars 11. Thesecond bars 12 have top faces 120 flush with the top faces 110 of thefirst bars 11 after assembly.

The first and second bars 11, 12 are made of plastic. Each of the firstand second bars 11, 12 further has a plurality of hollows 19 formed inthe top face 110, 120 thereof to economize the use of material and toreduce the weight of each of the first and second bars 11, 12.

The interlocking units 2 are provided on the first and second bars 11,12, and include slots 21 and projections 22. The slots 21 are providedin the groove bottom walls 113 of the first bars 11, whereas theprojections 22 are provided on and extend downwardly from the first andsecond end portions 121 of the second bars 12 to engage the slots 21 soas to interlock the first and second bars 11, 12. In this embodiment,each of the groove bottom walls 113 has a top surface 1131, and twopairs of the slots 21 (only one of each pair of the slots 21 is visiblein FIGS. 1 and 3). One pair of the slots 21 is proximate to the firstface 115 of the corresponding first bar 11. The other pair of the slots21 is proximate to the second face 116 of the corresponding first bar11.

As best shown in FIG. 4, each of the first and second end portions 121of the second bars 12 includes a pair of the projections 22 havingdownward legs 221 that are respectively adjacent to the groove sidewalls210 of each mounting groove 111 when inserted into the respectivemounting groove 111. The downward legs 221 have barbed ends 222projecting oppositely and respectively from the downward legs 221. Eachof the barbed ends 222 of the downward legs 221 has a horizontalabutment face 223 perpendicular to the respective downward leg 221, anda slant guide face 224 extending downwardly and inwardly from thehorizontal abutment face 223. Each pair of the projections 22 isselectively engaged to one of the pairs of the slots 21.

Each slot 21 in each groove bottom wall 113 of the first bars 11 has afirst slot portion 211 extending downwardly from the top surface 1131 toreceive a corresponding one of the downward legs 221, and a second slotportion 212 extending sideward from the first slot portion 211 and intoone of the groove sidewalls 210 to receive a corresponding one of thebarbed ends 222.

In this embodiment, each of the groove bottom walls 113 of the firstbars 11 further has two pairs of nut-receiving holes 117 (see FIG. 6).The nut-receiving holes 117 are respectively spaced apart from the pairsof the slots 21 (see FIG. 3).

The fastening units 3 are provided to fasten the first and second endportions 121 of the second bars 12 to the first bars 11. Each fasteningunit 3 includes a nut 31 (see FIG. 5) embedded in a respective one ofthe nut-receiving holes 117, and a screw 32 extending through one of thefirst and second end portions 121 of the respective second bar 12 toengage threadedly the nut 31.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 5, assembly of the modular palletdevice of the present invention will now be described. For this example,it is assumed that the modular pallet device is formed from three firstbars 11 and ten second bars 12. As best shown in FIG. 1, the three firstbars 11 are first disposed parallel to each other, and each second bar12 is connected transversely between two adjacent ones of the first bars11 so that the modular pallet device has the second bars 12 arranged ina plurality of rows. The first and second end portions 121 of eachsecond bar 12 are inserted into the respective mounting grooves 111 ofthe corresponding two adjacent first bars 11, and are pressed downwardby an external force so as to engage the projections 22 with therespective slots 21. Through the slant guide faces 224 of theprojections 22, the downward legs 221 of the projections 22 are presseddownward into the respective first slot portions 211 of the slots 21until the horizontal abutment faces 223 of the barbed ends 222 engagethe respective second slot portions 212 in the corresponding groovesidewalls 210.

Finally, two screws 32 are passed through each of the first and secondend portions 121 of the second bars 12 to respectively engage the nuts31 in the nut-receiving holes 117 in the first bars 11, thereby tightlyfixing each second bar 12 to the corresponding two adjacent ones of thefirst bars 11. Alternatively, two aligned second bars 12 in any of therows of the same may be replaced with one second bar that is lengthenedand that is mounted transversely on the three parallel first bars 11.Hence, the structure of the second bars 12 is not limited to thedisclosed embodiment. Further, the location of the slots 21 and theprojections 22 may be interchanged, i.e., the slots 21 may be formed inthe first and second end portions 121 of the second bars 11, while theprojections 22 may be provided in each mounting groove 111 of the firstbars 11. The first and second bars 11, 12 may be similarlyinterconnected.

Referring back to FIG. 1, to transport the modular pallet device of thepresent invention, the tines of the forklift (not shown) may be insertedrespectively into channels formed by the rows of the second bars and/orthe first bars 11, or may be inserted respectively into the insert holes112 so as to lift the modular pallet device.

During assembly, the pair of the projections 22 on at least one of thefirst and second end portions 121 of the second bars 12 may engageselectively and respectively the pair of the slots 21 that are proximateto the first face 115 or the second face 116 of the first bars 11. Forexample, when three of the first bars 11 are used, and when theprojections 22 are engaged respectively to the pair of the slots 21 thatare proximate to the first face 115 of the two outermost first bars 11,a distance between each two adjacent ones of the first bars 11 isincreased (see FIG. 6). When the projections 22 are engaged respectivelyto the pair of the slots 21 that are proximate to the second face 116 ofthe two outermost first bars 11, the distance between each two adjacentones of the first bars 11 is reduced (see FIG. 2). Hence, the distancebetween the first bars 11 may be varied by engaging selectively thepairs of the projections 22 of the second bars 12 with the two pairs ofthe slots 21 in the outermost first bars 11 (in this example) to alterthe area of the modular pallet device of the present invention.

Referring once again to FIG. 1, in this embodiment, each of the firstbars 11 further has a plurality of L-shaped angled indentations 114 thatare longitudinally spaced apart from each other and that are indenteddownwardly from parts of the top faces 110 of the first bars 11 free ofthe mounting grooves 111 and hollows 19, preferably at the corners ofthe first bars 11. A plurality of spaced-apart upright angled bars 17(only one is shown in FIG. 1) may be respectively fitted in the angledindentations 114 of the first bars 11, so that after the goods areplaced on the modular pallet device of the present invention, a tyingmember (not shown), such as a rope or a steel wire, may be tied aroundthe upright bars 17 so as to more securely position the goods on themodular pallet device. Alternatively, top ends of the upright bars 17may be fixed with a top frame (not shown).

Referring to FIGS. 7 to 11, the second preferred embodiment of a modularpallet device according to the present invention is shown to be similarto the first preferred embodiment. However, in this embodiment, each ofthe first and second end portions 121′ of the second bars 12′ includesone of the projections 22′. Each of the projections 22′ has a rib 221′extending transversely of the corresponding second bar 12′, and twobarbs 222′ projecting oppositely and respectively from two sides of therib 221′. The two sides of the rib 221′ are opposite to each other in alongitudinal direction of the corresponding second bar 12′. Each of thegroove bottom walls 113′ of the first bars 11′ is formed with one of theslots 21′. Each of the slots 21′ in the groove bottom walls 113′ has arib-receiving portion 211′ that extends downwardly from the top surface1131′ of the respective groove bottom wall 113′ to receive the rib 221′and that is defined by two opposite longitudinal slot sidewalls 216 (seeFIG. 10), two opposite transverse slot sidewalls 217 (only one isvisible in FIGS. 8 and 9), and a bottom slot wall 218 (see FIG. 10)interconnecting the longitudinal and transverse slot sidewalls 216, 217.The longitudinal slot sidewalls 216 are provided with barb-receivingportions 212′ to receive respectively the barbs 222′.

Each of the first bars 11′ further has a plurality of longitudinallyspaced-apart indentations 114′ that extend downwardly from the top faces110′ of the first bars 11′ and that are spaced apart from the mountinggrooves 111′. Each of the indentations 114′ is defined by two oppositelongitudinal indentation sidewalls 1141 (see FIG. 10), two oppositetransverse indentation sidewalls 1142 (only one is visible in FIG. 9),and a bottom indentation wall 1143 interconnecting the longitudinal andtransverse indentation sidewalls 1141, 1142. The transverse indentationsidewalls 1142 of the first bars 11′ are provided with pairs ofapertures 1144 (see FIG. 9).

The modular pallet device of the present invention further comprises aplurality of spaced-apart upright bars 13, a plurality of lateraltransverse bars 15, a plurality of spaced-apart top bars 14, and aplurality of upper transverse bars 15′. The upright bars 13 are mountedon the first bars 11′, and have bottom end portions 131 insertedrespectively into the indentations 114′ of the first bars 11′. Thebottom end portions 131 of the upright bars 13 respectively have pairsof first barbed elements 132 that project oppositely and respectivelyfrom lateral sides thereof and that engage respectively the pairs of theapertures 1144 in the transverse indentation sidewalls 1142 of the firstbars 11′. Each of the upright bars 13 further has a plurality ofvertically spaced-apart recesses 133 extending inwardly from an outerface thereof. Each of the recesses 133 is bounded by two recesssidewalls 134 and a recess bottom wall 135 interconnecting the recesssidewalls 134. The recess sidewalls 134 are provided respectively withbarb-receiving holes 136.

The lateral transverse bars 15 extend transversely of the upright bars13. Each lateral transverse bar 15 has a plurality of longitudinallyspaced-apart pairs of second barbed elements 151 projecting oppositelyon lateral sides thereof to engage respectively the barb-receiving holes136 within the recesses 133 of the upright bars 13.

The top bars 14 are mounted on top of the upright bars 13. Each of thetop bars 14 has five longitudinally spaced-apart recesses 141. Since theconstruction of the recesses 141 is similar to that of the recesses 133in the upright bars 13, a detailed description of the same is dispensedherewith for the sake of brevity.

The upper transverse bars 15′ are connected transversely to the top bars14, and have a plurality of pairs of barbed-elements (not visible) witha construction similar to that of the second barbed elements 151 of thelateral transverse bars 15.

The upright bars 13, the lateral transverse bars 15, the top bars 14,and the upper transverse bars 15′ are made of plastic.

The fastening units 3′, in this embodiment, are configured as screws forconnecting the top bars 14 to the top of the upright bars 13.

With reference to FIG. 7, in this embodiment, sixteen upright bars 13,twenty lateral transverse bars 15, and five upper transverse bars 15′are employed to assemble the modular pallet device of the presentinvention. As illustrated, the bottom end portions 131 of the uprightbars 13 are inserted into the indentations 114′ of the first bars 11′ soas to form a surrounding wall on the first bars 11′. Afterwards, five ofthe lateral transverse bars 15 are connected transversely to the uprightbars 13 at each side of the surrounding wall, the top bars 14 aremounted on top of the upright bars 13 and are fixed thereto by using thefastening units 3′, and the upper transverse bars 15′ are connected tothe top bars 14, thereby forming a rectangular box pallet, as shown inFIG. 11.

Referring to FIG. 12, the modular pallet device of the second preferredembodiment further includes a plurality of plugs 16 inserted optionallyinto the indentations 114′ in the first bars 11′ when the upright bars13, the lateral transverse bars 15, the top bars 14, and the uppertransverse bars 15′ are not required. The plugs 16 are provided withpairs of barbed elements 161 to engage the pairs of the apertures 1144in the transverse indentation sidewalls 1142 of the first bars 11, andare flush with the top faces 110′, 120′ of the first and second bars 11,12 after assembly.

The advantages of the present invention can be summarized as follows:

1. Through the configuration of the slots 21, 21′ and projections 22,22′ of the interlocking units 2, the first and second bars 11, 12 can bequickly interconnected and assembled, so that assembly of the modularpallet device of the present invention is relatively simple and easy.This results in minimizing labor costs.

2. The first and second bars 11, 12 and the interlocking units 2 are allmade of plastic materials, so that material costs can be minimized, andthe strength of the modular pallet device of the present invention canbe enhanced.

3. Since the weight of plastic is light, transport costs can also bereduced.

4. The modular pallet device of the present invention may be furtherprovided with the upright bars 13, the lateral and upper transverse bars15, 15′, and the top bars 14 that can cooperate with the first andsecond bars 11, 12 to form the box pallet shown in FIG. 11.

While the present invention has been described in connection with whatare considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements includedwithin the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations andequivalent arrangements.

1. A modular pallet device comprising: a plurality of spaced-apartlongitudinal first bars, said first bars having a plurality oflongitudinally spaced-apart mounting grooves extending inwardly from topfaces of said first bars; a plurality of spaced-apart longitudinalsecond bars connected to said first bars, each of said second barshaving opposite first and second end portions, said first end portionsof said second bars being respectively received in said mounting groovesof one of said first bars, said second end portions of said second barsbeing respectively received in said mounting grooves of the other one ofsaid first bars; and a plurality of interlocking units provided on andinterlocking said first and second bars, said interlocking unitsincluding slots and projections.
 2. The modular pallet device of claim1, wherein each of said mounting grooves of said first bars is boundedby two groove sidewalls and a groove bottom wall extending between saidgroove sidewalls, said slots being provided in said groove bottom wallsof said first bars, said projections extending downwardly from saidsecond bars to engage said slots.
 3. The modular pallet device of claim2, wherein each of said first bars further has opposite longitudinalfirst and second faces that extend downwardly from said top face of acorresponding one of said first bars, said first faces of said firstbars facing each other and extending between said second faces, each ofsaid groove bottom walls having at least two of said slots, one of saidtwo slots being proximate to said first face, the other one of said twoslots being proximate to said second face and being spaced apart fromsaid one of said two slots, at least one of said first and second endportions of said second bars having at least one of said projectionsselectively engaged to one of said two slots.
 4. The modular palletdevice of claim 2, wherein each of said first and second end portions ofsaid second bars includes a pair of said projections having downwardlegs that are respectively adjacent to said groove sidewalls and thathave barbed ends projecting oppositely and respectively from saiddownward legs, each of said groove bottom walls of said first barshaving a top surface, and at least one pair of said slots, each of saidslots having a first slot portion extending downwardly from said topsurface of a respective one of said groove bottom walls to receive acorresponding one of said downward legs, and a second slot portionextending sideward from said first slot portion and into one of saidgroove sidewalls to receive a corresponding one of said barbed ends. 5.The modular pallet device of claim 2, further comprising a plurality offastening units to fasten said first and second end portions of saidsecond bars to said first bars, each of said groove bottom walls of saidfirst bars having at least one of said slots, and at least onenut-receiving hole spaced apart from said one of said slots, saidfastening units including a plurality of nuts embedded respectively insaid nut-receiving holes of said groove bottom walls, and a plurality ofscrews respectively engaging said nuts and extending through said secondbars.
 6. The modular pallet device of claim 2, wherein said first andsecond end portions of said second bars respectively include saidprojections, each of said projections having a rib that extendstransversely of a corresponding one of said second bars, and two barbsthat project oppositely and respectively from two sides of said rib,said two sides of said rib being opposite to each other in alongitudinal direction of a corresponding one of said second bars, eachof said groove bottom walls of said first bars having a top surface andone of said slots, each of said slots having a rib-receiving portionthat extends downwardly from said top surface of a respective one ofsaid groove bottom walls to receive said rib and that is defined by twoopposite slot sidewalls, said slot sidewalls being provided withbarb-receiving portions to receive respectively said barbs.
 7. Themodular pallet device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality ofspaced-apart upright bars having bottom end portions mounted on saidfirst bars, said first bars further having a plurality of longitudinallyspaced-apart indentations that extend downwardly from said top faces ofsaid first bars, that receive respectively said bottom end portions ofsaid upright bars, and that are spaced apart from said mounting grooves.8. The modular pallet device of claim 7, wherein said bottom endportions of said upright bars respectively have pairs of first barbedelements that project oppositely and respectively from said bottom endportions, each of said indentations being defined by two oppositeindentation sidewalls respectively having apertures to receiverespectively said first barbed elements of a corresponding one of saidupright bars.
 9. The modular pallet device of claim 7, wherein each ofsaid upright bars further has a plurality of vertically spaced-apartrecesses, said modular pallet device further comprising a plurality oflateral transverse bars extending transversely of said upright bars andfitted respectively in said recesses.
 10. The modular pallet device ofclaim 9, wherein each of said lateral transverse bars has pairs ofsecond barbed elements engaging said upright bars within said recesses.11. The modular pallet device of claim 9, further comprising a pluralityof spaced-apart top bars mounted on top of said upright bars, and aplurality of upper transverse bars connected transversely to said topbars.